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On September 21st, Kargyak Sun School will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its opening. There, in one of the last places on Earth, the original Tibetan culture survives at the elevation of 4200 m. Before the school opened, the village of 200 heads had only 10 members who could read and write a little. To get an education, children were sent away to boarding schools in faraway towns. Today, the Sun School has its alumni and thanks to the project, people stopped moving away from the village. >>
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Blanka a Libor - leaving for Chadar - frozen river

Zanskar is getting frozen.
After abundant snowfall covered Himalayan peaks and passes at the day
of our planned departure, summer road over Kargil and Penzi-la Pass
[4401 m.a.s.l] to Padum was closed. On Sunday, January 15 we are
getting to start a week journey along frozen Zanskar river.

From the beginning of this week night temperatures drop to -25C which are ideal

conditions for the change of mountain stream into river of ice.

Zanskar rises at the altitude of 3500 meters above sea level and meets

Indus after 370 km at the confluence runs along the river narrow windy

rood to Chilling in a distance of 27 km, where winter journey along

the river starts. On January 9, when we were walking alongside the

river several kilometers, the stream was not frozen completely.

Our stay in Leh besides of negotiations with local authorities we

dedicate to sightseeing in the city and its surroundings. Ensuring of

connection of satellite phone to internet in Kargyak was the priority.

After negotiations with several officers at different places in Leh

the only thing to remain is the signature of the mayor of Kargyak at

the form. Signature from will be delivered by girls after descend from

Kargyak at relevant office and after security fee payment is internet

connection allegedly question of two-three days. The result will be

clear at the beginning of February. In positive result we will give

the news from our stay I Kargyak regularly. Regarding of seized

satellite phone the Czech Embassy in Delhi must courte ously ask the

Government of India [Ministry of Telecommunications] for a favor of

releasing the phone...

The Indus valley is dotted by ancient Buddhist monasteries and castes

in Ladakh. Here in Leh besides of huge castle Khar built in the first

half of 17 century by ruling Namgyal family, Buddhist monastery,

masques and new Shanti stupa. Moravian Mission found in 1855 here. The

church of Moravian Brothers spread among local people besides of

Christianity [the Holy Bible was the first book to be translated by

them into Ladaki] the cultivation of "exotic" vegetables like potato,

spinach, cauliflower, reddish and tomato and also system of storing

and preserving root vegetables in semiunderground cellars. Skills as

knitting and baking are also introduced by Moravian missionaries. The

transcription of the name Leh is credited to them. Today Moravian

Mission School is attended by almost thousand children.

We have visited several Buddhist monasteries in the proximity of Leh -

Thiksey resembling Potala Palace in Lhasa, spectacular Hemis under

mountain peak and thousand years old Spituk.

...and now is the time to start up the frozen Zanskar river to Kargyak.